CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website July 25, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at http://adcvd.cbp.dhs.gov/adcvdweb.

CBP identified 16 applicants that the agency plans to enter reimbursable services agreements with, the agency said. CBP will notify the necessary congressional committees of the plans before the agreements are finalized, it said. CBP received 25 total applicants for the program, which allows for private companies to reimburse the agency for expanded services at certain locations, after requested applications in March (see 14040115), it said. CBP used a panel of CBP senior executives with "management and field expertise" to make the selections, it said.

CBP's extension for the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot (see 14072515) will allow the agency to improve the program, said Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association (AfA), in an email. The AfA "sees the extension of the ACAS voluntary pilot program as a positive development since we have been advocating for an opportunity for more forwarders to join program and submit important data to test operational assumptions," he said. "Forwarders come in all sizes with varying resources and business models. Including their data submissions in the ACAS pilot will help CBP increase its understanding of our industry and its value to air cargo security." The AfA had previously voiced some concerns over a lack of input from smaller businesses regarding ACAS before CBP publishes rules for the program (see 14060522).

In the July 23 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 29), CBP published notices that propose to modify or revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of wind turbine frames and kayaks.

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website July 24, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at http://adcvd.cbp.dhs.gov/adcvdweb.

CBP is keeping an eye for ways it can expand work with other countries to detect fraud, said an agency spokeswoman in response to a request for comment on whether it would work with China Customs to share data in an effort to prevent “funneling” antidumping duty evasion schemes. A lawyer representing domestic garlic companies says he was recently able to pinpoint funneling, which involves one exporter using another exporter’s lower cash deposit rate by falsely claiming the latter exported the goods, by comparing China Customs export data with CBP import data and finding discrepancies (see 14072402). “CBP partners with other Customs authorities to detect trade fraud and is continuously looking for additional opportunities to expand our trade intelligence and increase trade compliance,” said the agency spokeswoman. “CBP obtains information about shippers, producers, importers, cargo and vessels, as early as possible in the shipping process which allows us to target throughout the import process to interdict illegal cargo.”

CBP posted the slides from a July 22 presentation on Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and the electronic data interchange (EDI). The presentation includes slides on "Steps for First Time EDI Filers" and "Transitioning to ACE ABI from Legacy Systems."

In the July 23 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 29), CBP published notices that propose to modify or revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of rubber boots and aquatic training shoes.

CBP will extend its Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot, which allows for early filing of cargo data, for another year through July 26, 2015, the agency said. The extension will allow "CBP to continue to strengthen its capability to target high-risk cargo earlier in the supply chain and provide greater opportunity for additional members of the air cargo community to participate and prepare for possible proposed regulatory changes." CBP has extended the pilot several times, most recently in October (see 13102226). The Airforwarders Association recently voiced some concerns over a lack of input from smaller businesses regarding ACAS before CBP publishes rules for the program (see 14060522) "There are current participants that are in the process of testing and development that still need time to become fully operational participants and there continue to be members of the air cargo community who have informed CBP that they are interested in participating in the pilot," the notice said. CBP will also reopen the pilot, with new applications due Sept. 26.